See videos of bats using echolocation and aerial acrobatics to catch insects in the dark. When we think of flying animals, birds and insects immediately come to mind Unlike flying squirrels or sugar gliders that merely glide through the air, bats have. Bats are flying mammals of the order chiroptera (/ kaɪˈrɒptərə /) [a] with their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight Bats, on the other hand, are the only mammals in the world that can actually fly and control their flight
Their scientific name, chiroptera, originates from the greek language, and means “hand wing”. Bats are the only mammals in the world capable of true flight — not just gliding With over 1,400 species, they play a huge role in ecosystems, from pollinating plants to controlling insects Learn how bats evolved unique adaptations to fly in the air, such as wings, muscles, and echolocation Discover how bats contribute to ecosystems, pollination, and pest control with their diverse diet and behavior. Bats achieved something remarkable in evolutionary history by becoming the only mammals to develop powered flight, a feat accomplished otherwise only by birds and extinct pterosaurs
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